Iconic films such as Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop and the 1974 horror classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre are among the 25 American films selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
The National Film Preservation Board on Tuesday announced the 25 films that will make the coveted list, which now stands at an astonishing 900 films.
This year’s slate of classics spans more than a century, “almost 130 years old,” and spans a variety of genres, from the 1885 silent documentary Annabelle Serpentine Dance to the 2010 Facebook origin story The Social Network.
Sci-fi fans will be pleased with the notable addition of Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan, marking the franchise’s first appearance on the established list.
Another science fiction classic will join the ranks: 1953’s Invaders from Mars.
Romance fans will enjoy the late Patrick Swayze’s Dirty Dancing set, an addition to this year’s list.
In the class of 2024, Cheech Marin’s Up in Smoke was also nominated, becoming the first Cheech & Chong film on the list.
The 2001 film Spy Kids, in which Marin plays the unofficial uncle of the main characters, was also added to the list this year.
Iconic films like Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop and the 1974 horror classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre are among the 25 American films selected for preservation in the National Film Registry
The 1974 horror classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of 25 American films included in the National Film Registry.
Other films added to the 2024 list include John Hughes’ Pretty in Pink, the 2007 Oscar-winning thriller No Country for Old Men and 1938’s Angels with Dirty Faces.
It was believed that more than 6,700 films would make the enviable list, but only 25 would make the list with true classics like The Godfather, Ghostbusters, When Harry Met Sally and Disney’s The Lion King.
Films are selected based on their “cultural, historical or aesthetic importance to preserving the nation’s film heritage,” said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
The films must be at least 10 years old to be eligible and are selected by the Librarian of Congress.
They then consult with members of the National Film Preservation Board and other film specialists to solidify the selections.
“The wealth of American film history is sometimes quite overwhelming and people often wonder: how do you recommend this film or that film?” Jacqueline Stewart, chair of the National Film Preservation Board, said.
Gus Van Sant’s My Own Private Idaho (1991) was added to the 2024 National Film Registry
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) starring Ricardo Montalban as Khan was added to this year’s installment, marking the franchise’s first appearance on the coveted list
A scene from the 1938 film Angels with Dirty Faces, also one of 25 classic American films selected for the class of 2024
“It comes through a lot of research, conversations and discussion, and it’s through the commitment to showcasing the true diversity of filmmaking,” she added.
A television special celebrating the additions will be presented by Turner Classic Movies on Wednesday, December 18.
The National Film Preservation Board was created in 1988 when Representatives Robert Mrazek and Sidney Yates introduced the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, which established the National Film Registry, its purpose, and the criteria for selecting films for preservation.